Author: Asia Ada Losapio
Date of Publication: 27/07/2022
“Workplace Disability Management”. When we talk about this we refer to the management of all cases of disability in the workplace. Cases range from congenital to those acquired during the working period (the skills, tasks and work areas of the "Disability Manager"). In this article, "Disability Management" aims to identify the factors that prevent people from entering the world of work, and to find concrete solutions. The professional figure in charge of carrying out this task is the "Disability Manager".
Advantages for Businesses
What are the business benefits that come with it? Enhancing diversity is a strategic action useful for increasing the company's competitiveness, but also profit. The identification of new inclusion strategies can turn into a great opportunity for companies. The tendency to improve the person can become a tool for development. Therefore, this can increase the available resources and productivity, with the consequent increase in profit. The progressive expansion of new technologies has had a strong impact on the reorganization of work. This develops suitable conditions for the development of new practices and new policies to support Disability Management. The inclusion of "Disability Management" can improve the corporate image. In addition, at the same time it can highlight the skills of people with disabilities.
The Disability Manager
In the field of work, the disability manager is a very useful figure. He serves to improve the relationship between a business organization and the person with disabilities. To do this, it implements a management approach both of the physical environment, based on the specific needs of the person, and of the latter.
The disability manager can perform the function of the inclusion process. This process leads the disabled worker to feel a fundamental part of the organization. In this way, the disabled person sets in motion the processes of socialization and communication with the other components of the company.
The Disability Management Plan
To come up with a good plan, you need to follow four steps:
It is necessary to bring together the managers and managers of human resources. In this way, you implement an organizational change that leads to a culture of inclusion.
Selection is a crucial step. There is a tendency to select candidates with characteristics compatible with the company. This happens in order to avoid the implementation of the skills of new hires.So, this results in the disadvantage of people with more severe disabilities, who are excluded from the world of work.
Transmit psychological security, to make the disabled work without fear of negative consequences due to their disability. This improves working conditions, fostering an environment centered on trust and mutual respect.
Congenital cases require special skills. This is both to identify the conditions necessary to keep the job and to develop the skills of people with disabilities. It is important to make them adapt to the new context. Increasing employee empowerment is essential.
Future Prospects
Disability policies improve staff productivity and reduce costs related to disability. The adoption of these results in the "win win" strategy, which reduces company and employee costs. In the future, positive effects are expected linked to smart working, which becomes a possible means to reconcile life and work times. Finally, it could provide better results if it started from the basic courses (university or postgraduate), in a life-long learning perspective.